It’s Time For a Change
Marcia Ramsland’s self-help book Simplify Your Time is a great resource to reference for all your time-saving needs. The book goes through various chapters in the format of a 30 day plan. Each week focuses on a separate part of the time-saving process and each day holds its own small time-saving tip. I found this format very welcoming as someone who, at the time, was worried about seeking organizational help. The book opens with a brief introduction, in which the format and skills that will be covered are noted.
This introduction, while minor, set a strong and determined pace for the rest of the book, which I found to be a good way to focus the reader's attention. Once the introduction concludes the reader has time only to take a deep breath before jumping right in. Each chapter follows a similar format that includes an opening quote, information on the daily topic, and a closing quote. There are also time-saving tips, 101 to be exact, scattered throughout the entire book.
Finally, at the end of each week's reading, there is a brief checklist on how the newly learned information can be put into immediate action. For example, one of the points after chapter 30 reads “[l]ife is made up of ‘have-tos’ and ‘want-tos.’ Choose to complete some of each every day” (Ramsland 196). These simple, minor summaries help to tie the chapters together and prepare the reader for the next upcoming. Though I, personally, did not find any aspect of the book that I dislike, certain parts may be thought of differently by others.
According to Phillippa Lally, a health psychology researcher at University College in London, it takes at least 18 days for a new habit to become automatic. If the format of the book is meant to be one chapter a day, the total then becomes 30 days. Certain individuals may find learning time management at this pace to be tedious after the 18 day mark. Other than this specific format, negative thoughts on the book would most likely be made by a smaller audience.
Overall, I found the book Simplify Your Time to be an interesting read. It provided a clear vision, attainable goals, was supportive of the difficult journey that is time-management. I would rate this book a 8/10 and would recommend it to anyone who struggles or would like to better their time-management skills. So to those out there who want to improve in this area, I say to you take a seat, pick up the book, and “stop running and start living.”